Q: In SofS, what is the book of Canticles? A: This is an alternate name for the Song of Solomon. Another popular name is Song of Solomon. There is no difference. The Hebrew name is literally translated "Song of Songs", which means the best of all songs. Solomon wrote 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32), and the title implies that this was the best one. In the Latin Vulgate, the book is called Canticum Canticorum, which means Song of Songs. See 1001 Bible Questions Answered p.10 for more info.

Q: In SofS, why is a sexually-oriented book like Song of Solomon in the Bible? A: What is wrong with wild, passionate, romance and sex within marriage? While some would make God against all sexual enjoyment, God is the one who created sex. Since God has spoken so strongly and clearly against sex outside of marriage, one might false generalize to think God is against all sexual pleasure - if it were not for the Song of Solomon. See When Critics Ask p.261-262 and Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.261-262 for more info.

Q: In SofS, how should this book be interpreted? A: Christians and Jews have had four views. Allegory of our relationship with God is how many historically have seen this book. Allegories of God as our husband are in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but these were written centuries after the Song of Solomon. Romance: The allegorical view goes too far when it describes the wife’s beauty. Rather, this is a practical, yet passionate story about romantic love, a small problem in the relationship, and its solution. The Song of Solomon is a very important book. Without it, one might wonder if it is proper for believers to have passionate romantic feelings, are an emotionally exciting marriage. This book not only validates this, but shows how. Romance with Solomon as an intruder: The Shepherd and girl love each other, and Solomon tries unsuccessfully to woo the girl away. Viewing this book as a protest against marital infidelity is the view of the Believers Bible Commentary and Arthur Clarke’s The Song of Songs. A variation of this view is that the girl is actually Abishag. See www.scripturewise.com for more on this view. Collection of love poems: Some apparently have given up on a structure and see this as an anthology of love poems. The New Geneva Study Bible p.1004 mentions this view, commenting that it is both unhelpful and unnecessary. Play: Some have seen a third option, that this was a kind of play. However, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1009 points out that while some seem this as a drama or play to be acted out, "the literary genre of a full-fledged drama was not known among the Israelites. Also the book cannot be analyzed into acts and scenes like a drama." Allegory of the Exodus from Egypt was the ancient rabbi interpretation, according to 1001 Bible Questions Answered p.10. Also see When Critics Ask p.263 for more info.

Q: In SofS, what is an outline of this book? A: There are two outlines, depending on whether you think there is one man, or Solomon and a shepherd. One-man view: This book is about the courtship, wedding, and marriage of a couple. 1:2-3:5 The Courtship 3:6-5:1 The Wedding ..3:6-11 The Wedding Procession ..4:1-5:1 The Wedding Night 5:2-8:4 The Marriage ..5:2-6:13 A "fox" in the marriage. Taking the other for granted .. 6:4-13 Overcoming the problem 8:5-14 Conclusion Protest Against Infidelity view: Solomon is trying to take the girl away from her shepherd boyfriend/husband, and he fails to do so. The Believers Bible Commentary has 18 top-level sections, based primarily on speaker. Here is a rather free condensation of that. 1-2:7 The Shulamite in Solomon’s Court ..2:7 - O daughters of Jerusalem 2:8-3:5 Reminiscing about her shepherd-lover ..3:5 - O daughters of Jerusalem 3:6-4:6 Solomon’s grand procession arrives 4:7-5:1 The Shepherd comes and asks the Shulamite to leave 5:9-8:4 Everyone tries to convince the Shulamite ..8:4 - O daughters of Jerusalem 8:5-14 She goes with the shepherd-lover

Q: In SofS, who are the speakers of each verse? A: Here are the speakers, given the view that there is only one man. Be careful of semantics, the NIV uses the word "beloved" to refer to the woman, and the NKJV uses the word "beloved" to refer to the man. One man view: The man is the speaker in 1:9-10, 1:15, 2:2, 2:14, 4:1-15, 5:1a-d, 6:4-9, 7:1-9a, 8:13. The woman is the speaker in 1:2-4a, 1:4c-7, 1:12-14, 1:15, 2:1, 2:3-14, 2:16-3:11, 4:16, 5:2-8, 5:10-16, 6:2-3, 7:9b-8:4, 8:6-7, 8:10-12, 8:14 Either the woman or the man in 1:17, 6:11-12, 6:13b Either the woman or the man or (according to the NKJV) the woman’s brothers in 2:15. The friends (including daughters of Jerusalem) speak in 1:4b, 1:8, 1:11, 5:9, 6:1, 6:13a, 8:5a Either the man or the friends in 1:8, 1:11, 6:10 Either the man, woman, or a relative in 8:5b Either God or the friends speaks in 5:1e (The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1020 says it was God, because friends would not be there when they were consummating their marriage.) The woman’s brothers speak in 8:8-9 See also The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1012 for more info. Shepherd + Solomon view: Roughly the same speakers, except that it is Solomon and not the shepherd speaking prior to 4:7. After that Solomon only speaks in 6:4-10 and 7:1-10. See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.919-921 for more info.